​Five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby could become Jerry Jones’s final blockbuster move as Cowboys owner, a development that would have major implications for Dallas’s defense and the franchise’s trajectory. The Sporting News originally reported on this possibility, and readers can add The Sporting News as a preferred source by clicking here. Crosby remains the marquee target for a Cowboys defense that struggled mightily last season, and with training camp approaching, Dallas has one last chance to consummate a trade that could reshape the defense.
Dallas already pursued Crosby multiple times this offseason. A proposed deal involving Crosby had reached the point where Tom Brady’s franchise reportedly agreed to send the Raiders star to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for two first-round picks. That agreement collapsed after Crosby failed his physical due to a bad knee, sending him back to Las Vegas. Despite that setback, Dallas has maintained a strong interest in adding Crosby to the roster. Pro Football Network’s Cooper Kleinberg notes that Dallas remains in the mix, along with the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Even after returning from a knee injury, Crosby remains one of the most productive edge players in the league. Last season, he tallied 73 tackles, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception, and six passes defended, which pushed his career totals to 439 tackles and 69.5 sacks in 110 games. That level of edge production is precisely what Dallas has lacked since trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. Kleinberg argues that Crosby would fit perfectly with the Cowboys’ roster, especially given the timing. He points out that with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens already providing one of the NFL’s most potent offenses, Crosby’s addition to a defense spearheaded by Khs Williams, Kenny Clark, DaRon Bland, and rookie Caleb Downs could complete a unit that would complement Dallas’s high-powered attack. Kleinberg even suggested that Crosby’s acquisition could represent one of Jones’s final major moves as owner.
Of course, landing Crosby won’t come cheap. The Raiders have kept their asking price high in light of the Ravens’ failed trade, and Dallas has diminished draft capital after surrendering a 2027 first-round pick for Quinnen Williams. Yet Jones has not closed the door. In March, he told reporters he did not expect another Crosby pursuit but did not rule anything out. If a deal materializes, Crosby would line up beside Williams and Clark on a defensive line designed to finally provide robust support for Dallas’s loaded offense.
As Crosby maintains his elite status on the field, questions persist about how the timing and financial constraints of a potential trade could shape a Cowboys defense that desperately needs a jump-start. A successful acquisition would not only bolster the front seven but could also galvanize a defense that has hovered around mediocrity for too long. The pursuit of Crosby, whether as a one-off blockbuster or the final major move of Jones’s ownership era, epitomizes the Cowboys’ ongoing quest to balance a potent offense with a defense capable of sustaining success deep into the season.